About the service: Birchlands Care Home is a nursing home that was providing personal and nursing care to 50 people at the time of the inspection.

People’s experience of using this service: People received a safe and responsive service, from staff who were trained and supported in their role. Staff managed risks to people’s safety, whilst promoting their independence where possible. Staff understood how to identify and report any safeguarding concerns. People received their medicines as prescribed.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. Staff respected people’s views and wishes. People were involved in recruitment and health and safety meetings.

People told us staff were kind and caring, and had time to chat with them. People’s dignity and privacy were respected.

Care plans were in place to give staff the information they needed to support people in line with their preferences. Care plans were reviewed regularly and updated when people’s needs changed. People accessed local facilities and activities and the provider worked with other organisations, including health professionals, to meet people’s needs.

People and relatives had the opportunity to provide feedback on the service and there was a system to respond to any complaints. Checks were conducted on the quality and safety of the service. There was a positive person-centred culture at the service.

Further information is in the detailed findings below.

Rating at last inspection: Good (report published 13 August 2016).

Why we inspected: This was a scheduled inspection based on the service’s previous rating.

Follow up: We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If any concerning information is received we may inspect sooner.

Birchlands Care Home provides residential and nursing care for up to 54 older people. The home is in the village of Haxby on the outskirts of York. Accommodation is provided across three floors and there is lift access.

We inspected this service on 9 and 10 June 2016. The inspection was unannounced. At the time of our inspection there were 47 people who used the service.

The service was registered by a new provider in September 2015 and this was our first inspection of this service under the new provider.

The registered provider is required to have a registered manager as a condition of registration for this service. The service did have a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). A registered manager is a person who has registered with the CQC to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

During our inspection we found that the service was safe. Staff understood their responsibility to safeguard vulnerable adults from abuse. Risks were identified and assessed. Risk assessments were used to guide staff on how to provide safe care and support. Where accidents and incidents did occur, steps were taken to reduce any future risk of harm.

There was sufficient staff employed to meet people’s needs. Appropriate recruitment checks were completed to ensure suitable staff were employed.

People received support to take their prescribed medicines which were managed safely.

Staff completed on-going training and had supervisions to support them to develop in their role. Although some training needed to be updated, people who used the service were complimentary about the skills and knowledge of staff. We have made a recommendation about training in our report.

Consent to care and treatment was sought in line with relevant legislation and guidance.

We received positive feedback about the food provided and saw that people were supported to eat and drink enough.

Support was provided for people who used the service to access healthcare services.

Staff were described as kind and caring. We observed that the care and support provided generally maintained people’s privacy and dignity. Staff listened to people who used the service and encouraged and supported them to make decisions.

Care plans were person centred and were reviewed and updated regularly.

There were systems in place to gather feedback about the service and to respond to any issues or concerns that arose. People who used the service told us the registered manager was approachable and they felt able to complain if they needed to.

We received consistently positive feedback about the registered manager and the management of the service. There was a positive atmosphere within the service and people who used the service, relatives and visitors commented on the improvements and changes the registered manager had made. There was an effective quality assurance system in place to identify and address any issues or concerns.